Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Weights and Washboard Abs

A small group was in the gym on Monday night: Reggie (in the above photo), Owen, Amy, Franco, and Matt. I think it was Reggie who wondered why the numbers were so small. I told him it was probably because Thanksgiving is this Thursday, and most people probably have left town.

I warmed up by doing three rounds of shadow boxing in the ring. Both of my knees were hurting and I moved around the ring like a turtle. This may be a light workout day, I thought.

Reggie kept begging to get some action in the ring, so Alan agreed to do some light sparring with him. "You can hit me in the head, coach," Reggie said. "No, I'm not gonna hit you in the head," Alan said. "Come on, coach! You can hit me," Reggie insisted. Alan didn't want to because he didn't want their moving around to turn into a war. Besides, Alan was not wearing headgear, and he has to be careful about his eyes.

The coach accidentally got Reggie in the head a few times, and he apologized. The younger man pinned Alan up against the ropes, getting some quick body shots. Alan got off the ropes, popped Reggie, and danced away from him. "Alan's rather slick for an older man, isn't he?" I told Reggie. They went for four rounds.

I sparred with Reggie for three rounds. Just like Franco, Reggie switches from regular stance to southpaw, and back again. I did my best to have my hands glued to my head to avoid being clocked by Reggie's hooks. "Use straight punches. . .walk in using the jab then work on the inside," Alan told me. Reggie was throwing some of his punches from angles I couldn't avoid. I attempted to do a shoeshine (continuous uppercuts) a few times when I did get on the inside, but Reggie locked me up so I couldn't do that much.

I asked Reggie had he been lifting weights. His arms looked good. "I lift between 350 and 400 pounds," he told Alan and I. He and I did a burn out on one of the heavy bags, then Matt did a burn out with Reggie. "That's hard, but I would like to try that again," Matt said.

Reggie saw Alan using the wheel and said "Work those washboard abs! I bet I could wash my hand wraps on that stomach." Alan admitted he had made a trip up to Superdawg, and ate a couple of their most delicious hot dogs. "Hillari, get a picture of these washboard abs," Alan laughed. Reggie grabbed a towel to show how laundry could be done on Alan's stomach.